Conquer Yourself
 Bill Corcoran CEO / Race Development |
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“To Help People Conquer Themselves Physically, Mentally, And Spiritually, Through A Relationship With Jesus Christ, The One True Conqueror.”
I can’t tell you what Conquering Yourself looks like for you. For some it might be merely a physical battle. But for many, it is an extremely personal, emotional, and mental battle. For some, if not all of us, it is an intense spiritual battle as well.
The physical battle that wages inside has everything to do with how tired I am and how much the burning in my lungs, legs, or arms is driving me to want to ease up or take a break. The real problem is that the muscle fatigue sends messages to my brain. The mental battle that ensues as a result of the physical battle is then a much greater problem. My human brain begins to justify slowing down, easing up, or taking a break. I like to describe it as a back and forth argument between my tired muscles and my brain, each holding a horse whip telling the other that it isn’t finished yet and to keep going. During that battle, it is not so awesome, but I have never regretted putting myself through a tough workout or race. Never!
Endurance sports, and specifically triathlon, have played a huge role in my life. They have certainly helped me stay more physically fit, but the benefits reach much deeper than that. Stress management, time alone to think and process, and some great people to talk to through life’s struggles, have become a huge part of what endurance sports has become to me over the years.
When I was 20 years old, after gaining a full appreciation and understanding of the depth of my human weakness and sin, God sought me out. He redeemed me and saved me from Hell. At the time, I thought that was all He saved me from and that since I was a Christian, life would be easier from then on. Wow was I in for a surprise! I discovered that being a Christian doesn’t make me any less human or sinless, it just hopefully makes me sin less. I have struggled in life like everyone else. Business failures, failed relationships, divorce, family challenges, and financial struggles are just a few of the obstacles that have been in my path. Spending hours at a time swimming, biking, and running, while being reminded of my own humanity, has given God the opportunity to work on and with me. As my humanity has been forced to the surface, I have been forced to wrestle with a number of painful realities. Let’s face it, as humans, we are inherently lazy, prideful, stubborn, and selfish. Although there is a lot of redeeming human qualities to point to as well, I am living proof that this is just the short list of our shortcomings.
So, it’s been in the pool, on my bike, and on long runs where the real wrestling and refining has happened. When I have been reminded of my weakness, He has always reminded me of His strength. When I have been successful and my own pride has crept in, He has brought me humility. When I have failed at any number of things, He has helped me sort through the rubble and find new beginnings. When I have had moments when I just felt lost and didn’t know what to do, He has always met me in the quietness when I am ready to listen. Some people encounter God at church, some in nature, but God seems to often find me in the water, on my bike, or out on the road. It might sound strange, but I am hoping and praying that He finds you there too!
I believe that God is too often misrepresented with the idea that in order to be accepted by Him, you must be good. Jesus, however, came to redeem the lost and the broken, and those of us who are stained by sin. That’s all of us, by the way, no exceptions. The Bible says that He conquered sin, death, and the grave on our behalf, and took the penalty of our sin for us. No strings attached, He just did. So while I hope you are successful in your journey to conquer yourself physically, don’t coast through life on this side of eternity without meeting the one and only true conqueror Jesus Christ.
Be conquered
Bill Corcoran
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320-493-2658
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
